Shelf storage system

ABSTRACT

In a storage container (L) which is supposed to be automatically pushed into shelf compartments and pulled out of them by a handling device, notches (E) are provided in a gripping zone and are structured in such a way that a stud (B) of a gripper mechanism of the handling device can be brought into engagement in physically locking and/or force-locking fashion in each instance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a shelf storage system with a storagecontainer that has a gripping zone for a handling device designed forpulling and pushing the storage container, where the gripping zone isaffixed on at least one frontal end of the storage container and has anotch at both sides, which is structured in such a way that a stud ofthe handling device can be brought into engagement in physically lockingand/or force-locking fashion in each instance.

In shelf storage systems, particularly in high-shelf storage facilities,it is usual to place and remove storage containers in a fully automaticmanner. For this purpose, so-called shelf manipulation devices are usedas handling devices; these can be moved to any desired shelf compartmentand have a gripping and activation mechanism with which the storagecontainers can be pushed into or pulled out of the shelf compartment inquestion.

In a shelf system according to DE patent 33 24 349, a gripping devicefor the storage container consists of plates which are compressed in acomplicated manner and thereby grasp the storage containers from theside. In addition to the great effort for the gripping mechanism, thereis another disadvantage in that a container picked up at a slant will beput down at a slant again, so that tolerances can add during movements.

European patent application 04 61 735, proposes to solve this problem,each storage container having an open slit guide for a carrier on itsfrontal end facing the shelf manipulation device, which guide projectsout of an endless carrier pulling element which is guided arounddeflection wheels, the distance between which is at least as long as theinsertion depth of the storage container into the compartments of theshelf.

In this device, however, there is the possibility that the synchronicitybetween the two carriers is not absolutely guaranteed and/or that thepulling mechanism, including carriers, has an amount of play that cannotbe avoided with the design, so that it cannot be precluded that thestorage container will be tipped when handled by the shelf manipulationdevice. Another disadvantage consists of the fact that a tilted positionof the storage container as compared with the gripping mechanism, i.e.,the carriers can result in incorrect engagement of the carriers in theslit guides, so that secure handling of the storage containers is notguaranteed. Since the slit guides must have sufficient play with regardto the carriers to guarantee the intended guidance function without anyproblems, the carriers can only enter into a physical lock with the slitguides in the pulling or pushing direction, but first the play has to beovercome. Tilting of a storage container around its longitudinal and/orlateral axis can have the result, in this device, that one or bothcarriers jump out of the slit guide. These possible disadvantages canparticularly occur if shelf systems are being manipulated where staticdeviations of the geometrical conditions can occur due to their size andthe stresses which occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these problems in the prior art byproviding a shelf storage system of the type stated initially in such away that it can be securely handled by a specially designed end elementof a gripping mechanism.

This task is accomplished by the fact that each stud has a thickenedregion on at least one end, and that the notches are narrower at theengagement point than the thickened region. This ensures that thestorage container can be handled without tilting, also with regard toits lateral and longitudinal axis.

By the interaction of the notches with a correspondingly shaped stud,the handling of the storage container can be further improved. The shapeof the stud can be selected in such a way, in this instance, that italready enters into a force lock with the notches at its engagementpoint, so that a torque around one axis or around several axes iscompensated by the force lock.

If the stud which has engaged with the notch still has play at theengagement point, with regard to the notch, the physical lock withregard to a tilting movement of the storage container around its lateraland/or longitudinal axis can be produced, according to an advantageousfurther development of the invention, by the fact that each stud isnarrowed from its ends towards the middle. If the dimensions of thenotch are coordinated with the dimensions of the stud in this way, thenotch enters into a physical lock with the stud at the thickened regionif the storage container is tilted, possibly after a planned play,predetermined by the stud dimensions, has been overcome, so that furthertilting is prevented.

A double-cone stud is particularly simple and efficient, but othershapes are also possible, such as a stud which narrows in a curvetowards the middle. This guarantees that the notches cannot slip off thestud either towards the top or towards the bottom. Likewise, in the caseof a double-cone stud, the notches can be structured in V-shape, but canbe rounded off towards the pointed end.

It is advantageous in this connection that the notch is automaticallybrought to the middle of the stud, if the stud first engages with athicker end. This achieves horizontal alignment of the storagecontainer.

A simple, advantageous further development of the stud consists of thefact that the stud has a projecting final part at its top end, which isstructured in plate shape in a particularly simple embodiment, forexample in the form of a hammer head or as an additionally appliedplate.

Another advantageous further development of the present inventionconsists of the fact that the notches are made in a horizontal plateaffixed to the top edge of the frontal end of the storage container.This has the result, on the one hand, of a free space relative to thefootprint of the storage container, i.e., the footprint of the storagecontainer is not made larger by the plate, so that there are noadditional disadvantages resulting from a larger footprint (suchdisadvantages would be, for example, the danger of jamming on conveyorbelts, a greater area for weighing devices that must be provided, etc.).In addition, the plate can simultaneously be used as an easy to graspcarrying handle, if the storage container has to be moved by hand.

Since in most instances the storage containers are brought onto aconveyor system by the handling device before or after manipulation bythe handling device, where it can happen that one storage containerbumps against the next one, it is advantageous if the horizontal platehas a bumper edge. This prevents the storage containers from beingpushed onto each other at their plates, and thus causing conveyorproblems.

To avoid damage to the notches, it is practical to bead their edges. Atthe same time, this increases the force lock between the double-conestud and the notches. In a more complicated form of the invention, theedges of the notches can also be rounded off in such a way thathorizonal alignment of a storage container slightly tipped around itslongitudinal axis is facilitated when the studs engage.

There is a particularly good interplay between the storage container andthe studs in that the studs can be activated via a gripper mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail in thefollowing, on the basis of the drawing. This shows:

FIG. 1 illustrates a storage container with a gripping zone.

FIGS. 2 to 5 illustrate various embodiments of a stud in engagement witha notch.

FIG. 6 illustrates a gripper mechanism of a shelf manipulation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional representation of a storage container Lwith its longitudinal axis X, its lateral axis Y and its vertical axisZ. The storage container serves to hold any desired bulk goods. At bothfrontal ends S of the storage container L, a horizonal plate P isaffixed in each instance, at the two sides of which V-shaped notches Eare provided, which are rounded off towards their tip. The edges of thenotches E as well as the outer edges R of the horizontal plates P arebeaded or angled. The edges of the notches can also be rounded off, forexample.

The beading or rounding of the edges of the notches serves the purpose,on the one hand, that the edges remain stable in shape even when grippedmany times, and, on the other hand, that the physical lock and/or forcelock with the engaging stud is increased. The beaded regions, i.e., thebumper edges R at the ends of the plates P are supposed to prevent thestorage containers L from overlapping with their plates, if severalstorage containers L are pushed together.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a stud B, which is thicker at both endsthan in its middle portion. The thickened region results from adouble-cone shape. The double-cone stud B is the end link of a grippingmechanism which is shown schematically in FIG. 6. It is mounted on amovable carrier A and engages with the notch E of the storage containerL, where only the left part of the front view of the storage container Lis shown. The double cone B is structured in size in such a way that itcan still securely engage with the notches E if the storage container isrotated around its lateral axis Y or its longitudinal axis X by apermissible dimension. The double-cone shape guarantees that in the mostdisadvantageous case, further tilting of the storage container isprecluded, and in the desired normal case, the notches E can slip to thethinnest part of the stud, and thus the storage container is aligned inoptimum manner once again.

In FIGS. 3 to 6, further embodiments of the stud B are shown. The studaccording to FIG. 3 has a truncated cone shape at its bottom end, sothat a movement of the notch towards the bottom is prevented. The studaccording to FIG. 4 has a plate-shaped structure in the form of a hammerhead at its top end. Instead of the hammer head formation, a plate thatis additionally affixed can also be provided. The stud according to FIG5 has a cone-shaped thickened region at its top end.

In order to allow secure handling, free of play, a rigid grippingmechanism such as the one shown schematically in FIG. 6 is used. In thisconnection, two gripper arms A wich are guided on rails are opened andclosed by means of an adjustable rocker slide K, where the gripper armsA including the rocker slide K can be moved on a table of the shelfmanipulation device, not shown, so that the storage container can bepulled onto the shelf manipulation device or pushed off it afterengagement of the studs B attached to the gripper arms A into thenotches E of the storage container L. The notches E are drawn on alarger scale in the representation, in comparison with the studs B, sothat the shape of the notches, which is rounded in this case, is moreclearly evident.

I claim:
 1. A shelf storage system with a storage container and ahandling device structured to push and pull the storage containercomprising: a gripping zone affixed on at least one frontal end of thestorage container, said gripping zone having a notch on both sides,wherein the handling device includes a plurality of studs, each studhaving a thickened region on at least one end, wherein each notch isstructured in such a way that said stud of the handling device can bebrought into engagement in physically locking and/or force-lockingfashion and the notch is narrower at the engagement point than thethickened region.
 2. The shelf storage system of claim 1, wherein eachstud is narrowed from its ends towards a middle portion.
 3. The shelfstorage system of claim 2, wherein each stud has a double-cone shape. 4.The shelf storage system of claim 3, wherein said notches have a "V"shape and are rounded off towards pointed part of the "V" shape.
 5. Theshelf storage system of claim 1, wherein each stud has a final partwhich projects beyond a circumference of the stud at its top end.
 6. Theshelf storage system of claim 5, wherein said final part has a shape ofa plate.
 7. The shelf storage system of claim 1, wherein said notchesare made in a plate affixed horizontally at a top edge of the frontalend of the storage container.
 8. The shelf storage system of claim 2,wherein said notches are made in a plate affixed horizontally at a topedge of the frontal end of the storage container.
 9. The shelf storagesystem of claim 3, wherein said notches are made in a plate affixedhorizontally at a top edge of the frontal end of the storage container.10. The shelf storage system of claim 4, wherein said notches are madein a plate affixed horizontally at a top edge of the frontal end of thestorage container.
 11. The shelf storage system of claim 5, wherein saidnotches are made in a plate affixed horizontally at a top edge of thefrontal end of the storage container.
 12. The shelf storage system ofclaim 7, wherein said horizontal plate has a bumper edge.
 13. The shelfstorage system of claim 8, wherein said horizontal plate has a bumperedge.
 14. The shelf storage system of claim 11, wherein said horizontalplate has a bumper edge.
 15. The shelf storage system of claim 1,wherein the edges of said notches are beaded.
 16. The shelf storagesystem of claim 5, wherein edges of said notches are beaded.
 17. Theshelf storage system of claim 12, wherein edges of said notches arebeaded.
 18. The shelf storage system of claim 1, wherein edges of saidnotches are rounded off.
 19. The shelf storage system of claim 5,wherein edges of said notches are rounded off.
 20. The shelf storagesystem of claim 12, wherein edges of said notches are rounded off. 21.The shelf storage system of claim 27, wherein said studs can beactivated via a gripper mechanism.
 22. The shelf storage system of claim5, wherein said studs can be activated via a gripper mechanism.
 23. Theshelf storage system of claim 12, wherein said studs can be activatedvia a gripper mechanism.
 24. The shelf storage system of claim 15,wherein said studs can be activated via a gripper mechanism.
 25. Theshelf storage system of claim 18, wherein said studs can be activatedvia a gripper mechanism.